Automatic bailing self-sealing water trap and emergency air inlet



y 1959 0. H. EUBANKS ET AL 3,454,005

AUTOMATIC BAILING SELF-SEALING WATER TRAP AND EMERGENCY AIR INLET FlledSept 23, 1966 F l G. 4

F l G. 3

INVENTORS DAVID H. EUBANKS DAVID WNCKLIFF ATTORNEYS United States Patent3,454,005 AUTOMATIC BAILING SELF-SEALING WATER TRAP AND EMERGENCY AIRINLET David H. Eubanks, Warwick, RI. (15041 NE. 7th Court, Miami, Fla.33161), and David Wicklilf, Coventry, R.I. (54 Pontiac Ave., Providence,RI. 02907) Filed Sept. 23, 1966, Ser. No. 581,531 Int. Cl. A61m /00 US.Cl. 128-186 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A conduit in thebreathing tube from a humidified oxygen supply to the patient which hasa trap inserted therein which will allow condensed moisture to drainthereinto and will be automatically discharged through an opening in itsbottom as liquid accumulates therein to a certain level, while a ballwill close off this bottom drain opening and will be forced onto theseat of the valve by gas pressure in the breathing line and will alsoact as a relief valve should the conduit in the portion adjacent theoxygen supply get plugged up.

This invention relates to an apparatus for supplying gases to a human.

A gas, such as oxygen or air, which is supplied to a human should not beadministered without first passing it through a humidifying apparatuswhich puts moisture into the gas so as to minimize dehydration,irritation and other undesirable side effects. The moisture whichcollects because of condensation presents a problem which must be verycarefully watched in the administration of gases to a patient. Themoisture may be of sutlicient quantity so that a patient might drown,and accordingly, great care must be taken.

Condensation is caused by an alteration of the dewpoint temperaturerelationship which takes place as a humidified gas travels any length oftubing of varying surface temperatures. The resulting rainout willcoalesce and drain by gravity and pool at the lowest point of thedelivery tube. If this tube is the inspiratory tube of a ventilator,there is the threat of blowing a bolus of water into the patientstrachea. On the other hand, if the rainout collects in the expiratorytube, increased expiratory resistance will not only increase the work ofexpiration, but

due to the Valsalva effect will create a positive intrapleural pressurewhich can produce a circulatory insult.

One of the objects of this invention is to remove the objectionablecondensed moisture from a breathing tube so that condensed moisture inexcessive amounts cannot reach the patient.

Another object of the invention is to minimize expiratory resistance dueto moisture condensation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device insertable in abreathing tube which will be automatic in its operation and thus onewhich will need a minimal amount of handling or manipulation.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivedevice which will be positive and efiicient in its operation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certainnovel features of construction as will be more fully described andparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1V is a perspective view illustrating a face mask, the breathingtube, and the breathing tube leading from a source of humidified gas;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view through the device which is the subject ofthis invention with parts of the breathing tube attached to the same;

Patented July 8, 1969 FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing aportion thereof and with the ball valve in raised position for dischargeof liquid from the container; and

FIG. 4 is a similar view showing the device acting as a relief valve.

In proceeding with this invention, we insert at a low point in thearcuate path of the breathing tube as it extends to or from the patientto a trap comprising a container which, by reason of beng located at thelow point in the breathing conduit, will allow condensed moisture todrain thereinto. An opening at the bottom of the trap with a valve seatand a ball which will be forced onto the seat ordinarily by gas pressureis of such a character that it will float off of the seat should aliquid in the container rise to a certain point, thus permitting theliquid in the container to discharge from the trap container, allautomatically and with less need for human or manual attention thanheretofore.

With reference to the drawings which illustrate one form of thisinvention 10 designates generally a source of gas which has beenhumidified in a manner which is known to the art. 11 designatesgenerally a conduit or breathing tube which extends from a connectingpoint 12 in the source of a humidified gas to a face mask 14 at theother end of the tube 11, it being well known that this mask is placedover the face for the patient to use in breathing. This conduit 11 orbreathing tube is disposed in a depending arcuate path in its passagefrom the source of humidified gas to the face mask 14 and at a low pointin this tube which may be designated generally 15, we place our improvedapparatus designated generally 16 and which is shown in a larger scalein FIG. 2.

The apparatus 16 here illustrated comprises a U-shape conduit havingbranches 17 and 18 which are connected to the portions 11a and 11b ofthe breathing tube designated generally 11 and which has a low' portionat 19 with an opening 20 while at this low portion. there is connected atrap comprising a container 25 having a top wall 26 With an opening 27registering with the opening 20 so that any condensed moisture which maycollect in the breathing tube 11 will drain to this low point and thencethrough the openings 20 and 27 into the container 25. The bottom wall 28of this container is provided with an opening 29 in which there ispositioned a cup-like seat of resilient material, such as rubber orsynthetic rubber 30, which has a neck portion 31 provided with a recess32 to extend into and receive the edges of the bottom wall 28 about theopening 29. This neck is also provided with an opening 33 leading fromthe interior of the container to the exterior thereof.

A ball valve 35 is located in the container 25 and is of a size toengage the cup-like seat at a point just inwardly from its upperperipheral edge, and at this seat 30 is generally an inverted cone andof a size to receive the lower portion of the ball, a good circularcontact is provided in a seat which may flex slightly due to thepressure of the gas being conveyed and entering the container so as toprovide a good seal against the leakage of any gas. The ball valve 35 isusually of Celluloid and hollow, it being essentially lighter thanwater. A ping-pong ball may serve this purpose. Thus, this ball beinglight, should water in the container designated 40 in FIG. 3 rise to apoint to float the ball 35 off its seat such as shown in FIG. 3, willpermit water to pass into the cup and out through the bottom thereof bygravity.

The container 25 is generally cylindrical and is of a size so as toguide the ball sufficiently so that when it rises from its seat, it willdescend back onto the seat as the water escapes so as to again provide aseal for the container. Of course, when the ball floats from its seat,the water will prevent the escape of gas through the discharge opening33.

In the event that a gas being supplied to the patient is for a reasoninterrupted, then the patients normal breathing will lift the ball orvalve off of its seat as seen in FIG. 4, permitting air to enter at thebottom opening 33 as seen by the arrows and will act as a relief valvefor the patients normal breathing.

We claim:

1. In a respiratory therapy apparatus for a human, a conduit forconnection to a human from the outside of the body along 2. dependingarcuate path for the passage of humidified gas therethrough, a liquidtrap attached to said conduit at a low point in said path having acontainer in communication with said conduit for the draining of liquidfrom said conduit thereinto, said container having an opening in itsbottom portion for the discharge of liquid therefrom, and means toautomatically discharge liquid from said container comprising a floatvalve for controlling said opening and operating upon the rise of liquidin said container to a predetermined point to discharge liquid throughsaid opening, said valve being of such weight that human breathingsuction on said conduit will cause said valve to open to permit theentrance of air should the conduit to the trap become obstructed forbreathing.

2. In an apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said float valve comprises aball.

3. In an apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said float valve comprises acup-like valve seat and a ball engaging said seat to close said opening.

4. In an apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said float valve comprises aresilient cup-like seat adjacent its upper edge and connected throughits bottom to said opening and a ball fioatable on water of a size toengage said seat and close said cup, said container being of an interiorsize and shape to guide said ball onto said seat.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,972,412 2/1961 Lundeen 137-399X FOREIGN PATENTS 6 ,328 1914 Great Britain.

WILLIAM E. KAMM, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

